Open minds equal open spaces

Children and parents enjoy their time at the repurposed public space of the Art District in Alembic City in the heart of Baroda that was an abandoned industrial site. PICS/FIONA FERNANDEZ

Decades ago, when this columnist was a student, it was a matter of pride that our alma mater was the largest in the home suburb, not just as a building with adequate, roomy and well-lit classrooms but also that it boasted of several open spaces for sport, and had tree-lined canopied sections and seating areas on campus. We'd savour our lunch breaks, after which rounds of badminton, cricket, basketball, and volleyball were part and parcel of those school years. Back then, friends who attended other schools would be envious of our luxury of space, given that they were confined to boxy apartment-like structures that masqueraded as school buildings, with a tiny central space that doubled up as the ‘play area.' Since then, this prototype, I am afraid, has become the norm rather than the exception. When the opportunity arises to step into these modern template schools, I often wonder how such educational institutions inculcate the importance of physical activity when there is paltry representation of the same.

This reflects the overarching issue that Mumbaikars are staring at - the lack of open spaces for public activities. The disappointing news about the Neville D'Souza Ground in Bandra highlights a lack of vision and a failure to value the impact of a sporting ground. Look at the timing too - when the entire world is in the grip of football fever. The development must surely hurt the city's football and sporting fraternity. You'll have to be living under a rock if you still cannot fathom why India hasn't qualified for the World Cup.

I am reminded of a visit to a travelling children's literature festival, Bookaroo, that was held at Baroda's Arts District in Alembic City. The venue was a haven for little literature bugs, who browsed through thousands of books or attended sessions, accompanied by their parents. It was set amidst a green, reimagined space that was formerly an industrial-use complex. Over time, many of the abandoned structures on the property were standing tall in the heart of the city, and so the owners of the site decided to reimagine it as a cross-cultural space. While at the festival, we soon learnt that the massive space offers access not just for open-air festivals, but it also is a living-breathing centre to nurture and nourish the arts and culture, 365 days of the year.

We were wowed by crowds during that literary-themed weekend. That prime piece of real estate in Baroda could have easily been transformed into a swish township, but instead, its owners chose to give the city a precious gift in the form of an open space and cultural centre. But the larger picture here is that an opportunity was spotted for public welfare, and it was given the wings to fly. It was a win-win for the public of Baroda as well as the stakeholders, making it a great advertisement on how to maximise the use of abandoned properties for larger civic benefit.

That magical ecosystem's success came flashing back to mind recently, as the city's footballers and the sporting community at large protested against the ruling to convert the popular Bandra football ground into a convention centre. Does Mumbai's sport-loving community have a chance, and hope that the civic authorities see reason instead of eying one of its last few surviving open grounds for football? Few Indian cities face such a sickening shortage of open spaces for sport and recreation [in comparison to their population] as much as ours does, and this is nothing to be proud of. How difficult is it to find alternate locations for convention centres, so precious open spaces like this football ground can continue to serve footballers?

Truth is, while we call ourselves a cricket city, we are certainly not a sports-oriented city; this current example being played out is testimony to it. Unless there is an open mind towards the need to save existing grounds and create new open spaces, we'll continue to be a city where "play in the outdoors" equates to playing a game on a tablet in your apartment's balcony.

mid-day's Features Editor Fiona Fernandez relishes the city's sights, sounds, smells and stones...wherever the ink and the inclination takes her. She tweets @bombayana
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